COMING TODAY — THE RYAN BUDGET: House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan today will unveil his plan to balance the budget by 2023 — in part by approving the Keystone XL pipeline and increasing domestic energy production. “America has the world's largest natural gas, oil and coal reserves — enough natural gas to meet the country's needs for 90 years,” Ryan wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed last night previewing his budget plan. “Yet the administration is buying up land to prevent further development. Our budget opens these lands to development, so families will have affordable energy.”

Story Continued Below

That includes approving the Keystone XL pipeline, “which will create 20,000 direct jobs — and 118,000 indirect jobs,” Ryan wrote. “Our budget puts the country on the path to North American energy independence.” Overall, the Republican plan Ryan will lay out in more detail today would increase spending by 3.4 percent, rather than the 5 percent annual growth he said would otherwise happen. We’re tracking.

MEANWHILE, IN THE SENATE: Top Senate appropriators Barbara Mikulski and Richard Shelby released their own 587-page stopgap CR bill last night in an attempt to stop the looming government shutdown later this month amid a back-and-forth between House Republicans and the White House. According to a summary released by the committee, the bill would:

— Cut $44 million from the Energy Department, including $11 million from energy efficiency and renewable energy, $13 million from the science office, $10 million from ARPA-E and $10 million from nuclear energy.

— Give EPA $2.65 billion for environmental programs and management operations, $785.3 million for science and technology programs, $1.18 billion for Superfund sites and $3.58 billion for state and tribal grants.

— Allocate $950.8 million for the Bureau of Land Management, $1.21 billion for the Fish and Wildlife Service and $2.21 billion for the National Park Service.

— Send $129.4 million to the Global Environment Facility, the D.C.-based group that is how the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other international conventions are funded.

— Slash $20 million from the Army Corps of Engineers civil works division.

— Increase National Nuclear Security Administration funding for weapons activities by $363 million and nonproliferation by $110 million.

IF YOU’VE FILLED UP YOUR TANK LATELY… A rare winter spike in gasoline prices has drivers wondering why they’re paying springtime pump prices before they’ve even opened up their Easter candy. And to make matters worse, energy experts say, gas prices might even see another surge higher as U.S. demand climbs when the weather warms up. Darren Goode and Talia Buford team up to bring Pros the story: http://politi.co/YW6kaD

THE LATEST: Gasoline prices averaged $3.70 yesterday, 10 cents less than a year ago but up 12 cents from a month ago, and prices have been dropping for 12 consecutive days, according to AAA.

FORMER BLM CHIEF DROPS THE F-WORD — AND WE DON’T MEAN FRACKING: A low-profile lawsuit involving public lands and former Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey is reportedly reaching a settlement — and Abbey is apparently willing to let loose on the city officials who took him to court. The city of Henderson, Nev., alleged that a Texas developer finagled the purchase of 480 acres of federal land with help from Abbey, who stepped down last May, in exchange for money to his consulting firm — a charge Abbey fervently denied while going all-in on his criticism of city officials. “At the end of the day, I am hopeful the good citizens of Henderson will realize they have [expletive] idiots working for them and that they will show up at the polls to elect officials who are worthy of representing that community's interests,” Abbey wrote in an email to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I do not believe this to be the case today.”

ME IS A FAMILY FEDERAL ENERGY POLICY NEWSLETTER: But the Review-Journal has the Full Monty for those who are so inclined: http://bit.ly/XDE1ig

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: The safe and responsible development of natural gas supports more than 2.8 million jobs across the country. Curious what the economic benefit is for your state? Find out by using our interactive U.S. map at http://bit.ly/TIZPJJ. **

CUOMO WON’T WAIT: New York won’t wait for the final results of studies into the health impacts from fracking before deciding whether to lift its prohibition on the drilling technology, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. ICYMI, Talia Buford has the story: http://politico.pro/ZvGjNh

ENERGY ON THE AGENDA FOR OBAMA’S HILL MEETINGS: President Barack Obama is heading to the Capitol today and for the next two days to meet with Democrats and Republicans from both chambers (today it’s Senate Dems). Energy is a major priority, White House press secretary Jay Carney said — ranking right after budget concerns, the deficit, immigration and gun control. Obama meets with the House GOP tomorrow and Senate Republicans and House Dems on Thursday.

ALASKANS HIT THE HILL FOR TONGASS PLAN: Trout Unlimited is sponsoring a fly-in for several Alaskans this week to meet with lawmakers and administration officials and talk up a plan to conserve 77 watersheds across about 1.9 million acres of salmon and trout habitat in the Tongass National Forest. (More about the plan here: http://bit.ly/A00lfU.) The Alaskans, many of whom are fishermen or outdoors recreation workers, will meet with staffers from the offices of Sens. Ron Wyden, Mark Begich, Martin Heinrich, Rob Portman, Maria Cantwell, Al Franken and Patty Murray and Reps. Peter DeFazio, Betty McCollum, Niki Tsongas, Jared Huffman, Jim Moran, Grace Napolitano, Rush Holt, Tony Cárdenas, Raul Grijalva and Rose DeLauro. They’ll also meet with Agriculture Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman and several Forest Service officials.

ME DARES YOU: Try saying “Tsongas’s Tongass talk” five times fast.

C2ES PUSHES FEDS TO ACT ON SHORT-LIVED CLIMATE POLLUTANTS: The Obama administration should issue an executive order mandating steps for federal agencies to reduce the emission of short-lived climate pollutants such as methane and HFCs, or do it under an existing executive order, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions says in a paper out this morning. “Under either approach, agencies could be encouraged to purchase products made without HFCs, to retrofit their dirtiest diesel engines to reduce black carbon emissions and to take actions to facilitate capture of methane emissions from new and existing gas and oil wells and coal mines on federal lands,” says the report, which outlines some specific proposed actions and will be here later this morning: http://bit.ly/X4aU9U

PRO HITS MILESTONE – POLITICO Pro announced today that it now has more than 1,000 subscribing organizations, with more than 7,000 professionals using the service. See what you’re missing: www.politicopro.com. Join the conversation about Pro’s success: #GoPro2013

McCASKILL HAMMERS DOE ON LG CHEM DEAL: Via The Washington Post: “The chairwoman of a Senate subcommittee has asked the Energy Department to show its progress toward better managing its clean-energy grants after an inspector general raised concerns about the program last month. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who heads the Senate Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight, wrote to Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Thursday requesting a response by March 29.” WaPo: http://wapo.st/W2cNSP

NRC COMMISSIONERS SHOOT DOWN UNISTAR APPEAL: The five Nuclear Regulatory Commission members yesterday upheld a lower panel's decision last year to block UniStar Nuclear’s petition to build a third nuclear reactor at the Calvert Cliffs station because UniStar is owned by Électricité de France. The Atomic Energy Act prohibits companies completely owned by foreign entities from being licensed for new reactors, and the company is looking for a U.S.-based partner to move forward on the project. However, the commissioners are ordering their staff to go over foreign ownership rules with an eye toward modifications, now that time has passed since the rules were first developed. The agency’s nine-page ruling (via Beyond Nuclear): http://bit.ly/10EPXDr

Speaking of nuclear: Friends of the Earth says it has filed a request for Southern California Edison to hand over documents the group says will confirm the utility knew about design problems with the replacement steam generators at San Onofre. On Friday, the NRC released a controversial report about the generators that initiated a new round of finger-pointing.

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS

— Xcel Energy is continuing its recent spate of hiring new outside lobbyists. The utility reports signing up with Sellery Associates, where its issues will get a boost from former Rep. Richard Pombo. So far this year, Xcel has picked up Three Bridges Advisors and Jake Perry + Partners as new outside lobbyists. The company already has on retainer Capitol Counsel, Hogan Lovells, Stuntz Davis & Staffier, Arent Fox, the Fleet Street Group and Flynn & Associates.

— The Chinese firm Wanxiang, meanwhile, has picked up a former lawmaker of its own: Minnesota Republican Vin Weber, who served in the House from 1981 to 1993, and will represent the company along with others at Mercury/Clark & Weinstock. Wanxiang made waves on the Hill recently when it bought most of the bankrupt lithium-ion battery maker (and DOE aid recipient) A123. The company last week hired its first-ever federal lobbyist, the Glover Park Group.

— The asteroid mining company Planetary Resources has picked up K&L Gates.

GREEN FILM FEST KICKS OFF: The annual Environmental Film Festival, which will showcase 190 films and documentaries at venues around the region, starts today and runs through March 24. Full schedule: http://bit.ly/Zu9pMZ

— Pennsylvania waterways don't show much sign of damage from toxic chemical spills from the natural gas industry, a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science says. AP: http://politico.pro/ZEoe0I

— Devon Energy is leaving EPA's Natural Gas STAR Program "amid an ongoing dispute over how the agency used data collected through the program to justify regulations for the sector," Greenwire reports: http://bit.ly/16n7K2f

— Canadian Solar reports widened quarterly losses, though shipments in 2012 were up 17 percent from the previous year. Bloomberg: http://bloom.bg/ZziSGj

— A marine terminal management firm has until the end of the month to say if it still wants to develop Oregon’s Port of Coos Bay for shipping coal to Asia after two project partners dropped out. AP: http://bit.ly/14Phn6k

— Justin Gillis of the New York Times is writing a new monthly column on climate and energy. NYT: http://nyti.ms/13Qazci

THAT’S ALL FOR ME. Have a great day.

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: We believe in a clean energy future. Natural gas is a cleaner energy choice and a key partner to solar and wind technologies. From California to Florida, natural gas facilities are working with renewable energy to ensure steady, affordable and cleaner energy choices for communities across our nation. Because it is an abundant and affordable energy source available right here in America, natural gas can help make the promise of cleaner energy a reality in more American communities. Natural gas is smarter power today. Visit anga.us to learn more. **

** A message from Vet Voice Foundation: Tens of thousands of service members and veterans rely on public lands to hunt, fish, camp and heal from the wounds of war. These lands are part of the American heritage we fought for. As a new President and Congress look to rebuild America's infrastructure, we call on them to make an equal investment in maintaining our public lands and parks for our service members and all Americans. Support for our veterans must extend to investing in and protecting America’s natural heritage, for our children and grandchildren. www.VetVoiceFoundation.org **

Authors:

About The Author

Alex Guillén is an energy reporter for POLITICO Pro, where he covers EPA, regulations and coal, as well as lobbying and campaign finance in the energy realm. He previously wrote the Morning Energy newsletter. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., with a degree in anthropology and English. He is an avid reader and TV binger. The Delawarean, thrilled that there are finally Capriotti’s outposts in Washington, lives in Alexandria, Va.